Brother in Arms
by melaniesteps
Summary: At the beginning of the outbreak, Clementine's older brother, Zachary, was in college. Like everyone else, however, his life was put on pause as he now has to fight to live. When Clementine runs back into him, will the two survive well together, or will he end up just like Lee? (Set in: A House Divided, no Kenny/Sarita)
1. Chapter 1

-Zachary's POV-

"Walt, when is dinner gonna be ready?" I asked loudly from the fireplace. I stuck my hands out a bit, warning them up over the flames.

"I haven't even started it yet," he shouted back, loud enough so I could hear him. I scoffed and stood up from the fire. "I'm going to wait a little bit longer so it's not cold when Matthew comes back."

"Where even is he?" I questioned and turned around.

"By the bridge, I think," Walt answered, opening a book and sitting on the armchair near me.

"He better hurry," I said and stretched out my back. "I'm starving."

"Me too," I heard Miranda say from behind me. She put her arms around my stomach and I instinctively flexed. She joined Walter, Matthew, and I after I joined the previous two and her and I kinda had a thing together for almost half a year now. I turned around and locked my fingers with hers.

"Wanna come hunting with me?" I asked Miranda and looked back to Walt. "It'd be nice to have some meat with dinner."

"Sure," Miranda smiled and went to go get weapons.

"Yeah, it would. Thanks, Zach," Walter said back and I went to the front door to get on my boots. I finished lacing them up as Miranda came back with a crossbow and rifle. I grabbed the rifle from her and slung it around my shoulder, sliding a knife in the holster on my thigh.

"Ready?" I asked Miranda, turning back to her. She nodded and I smiled, nodding back. "Let's go."

I opened the door for her and she exited, me following behind her. I carefully shut the door, not making a whole lot of noise, and followed Miranda down the deck steps and to the outskirts of the forest surrounding the ski lodge. My eyes scanned the tree line, searching for any animal, big or small. I spotted a rabbit and my eyes locked on it.

"Hand me the crossbow," I said quietly to Miranda, since it would make less noise if I were to shoot it as opposed to the rifle on my shoulder. She handed me the crossbow and I quickly took aim before the rabbit had a chance to get away. I fired, and hit the rabbit right in the head and away from the body where all the meat was. "And that's how you do it," I gloated and Miranda sneered and grabbed the crossbow from me.

"Go bring that inside and I'll have a deer down by the time you get back out," she said and playfully nudged me. I grabbed the arrow, picking up the rabbit with it, and removed the arrow while holding onto the rabbit. I gave the arrow back to Miranda and ran inside to give Walter the rabbit.

"That's all you got?" He joked when he saw the rabbit in my hand.

"Miranda promised me a deer when I got back out, so there'll be more," I laughed and Walter laughed back. I put the bunny on the counter and my eyes wandered over to the window, where I saw a group of six or seven people out on the deck. "What the hell?" I asked myself and Walt overheard.

"What?" He asked in regards to my remark.

"There's people out there," I said, already heading for the door and grabbing my rifle. I opened the door and saw Miranda already pointing her gun at them.

"Who the fuck are all of you?" I asked, aiming my gun at them. Two people from their group aimed guns and I heard Walter come outside.

"Listen, everyone. Just stay calm," a guy in an orange shirt said, who was one of the two holding guns.

"Are you here to rob us?" Miranda asked viciously.

"Honey," a pregnant African-American woman asked back. "Do I look like a fucking thief?"

"Everyone just stay calm," Walter said, trying to diffuse the hostile situation. I kept my gun up, steady and firm.

"Everyone put your guns down!" An African American man pleaded.

"Fuck no," I hissed back and the guy in the orange shirt spoke up.

"Woah, calm down, man," he told me and I tensed up even more, aiming my gun at their heads now. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a small figure push through the small crowd of adults and my eyes shifted down to them. It was a young girl, maybe 9 or 10 years old, with a baseball cap on. The hat looked oddly familiar and I saw her looking up at me with wide eyes. That's when I recognized her, even though she looked a little different form when I last saw her, which was probably three years ago.

"Zach?!" she asked with surprise while looking up at me. It was my sister.

"Clem?" I said with the same awe-stricken tone and lowered my gun. "No way."

"You know this guy?" The man in the orange shirt asked as Clementine ran into me, embracing me. I hugged her back tightly, holding back tears of joy as I squeezed her.


	2. Chapter 2

-Clem's POV-

I hugged Zach as tight as I could, feeling him do the same.

"Who is this?" I heard Luke whisper to the cabin group behind me. No one answered, as no one knew that this was my brother. The hug finally broke and when it did, I saw Zach crying a little bit, happy that we were reunited.

"I thought you were dead," I said, my voice cracking a little, and Zach scoffed slightly.

"I thought the same thing of you, Clem," he said, a little relief present in his voice.

"This is Clementine?" A young woman, probably around the same age as my brother, asked, stepping up a little. Zach nodded in response. "He's told me so much about you!" She said excitedly, looking at me. "Well, from what he could remember."

"Yeah I didn't get to see you a whole lot, huh?" Zach sighed, looking down a little, then his eyes looked back up at me quickly. "Do you know if mom and dad are ok?"

"They're..." I started to say with a low voice, but knew I didn't have to finish since Zach quickly recognized my somber tone and knew that they were dead when I sounded like that.

"When did you find out?" He asked with a bitter expression on his face.

"A long time ago. Three months after this all started, maybe."

Zach looked down and crossed his arms, but then looked back up. "Well at least you're ok."

"I'm sorry," I heard Luke say from behind me and I turned around. "But who is this?"

"This is Zach, my brother," I said, smiling a little and looking back at Zach, who was also smiling.

"Nice to meet you all," he said, still smiling but not in a super happy voice. It was a little stiff and cautious sounding.

"Well, how about everyone comes on while i start dinner. We'd love to have you all in," a balding man behind Zach said.

"Sounds good Walt," Zach replied and nodded towards the front door to the ski lodge we were all outside of. "Everyone, if you'll follow me." He walked into the ski resort and we all followed behind him. "You can all set your stuff down there," he said and pointed to the floor, near a bench attached to a half wall.

"The hell we will," Rebecca snorted and Nick spoke up as well.

"Yeah, I'm holding onto my rifle, thanks."

"You're our guests here," the balding man, Walt, said from behind Zach. "There's no need to worry."

"Then tell him to put his gun down, then," Nick said, pointing to Zach. I looked back to Zach, who held his rifle tightly in one hand by the neck of the gun.

"Zach?" Walter said, asking him to put his gun down.

Zach looked to my cabin group, and then to me and his rigid body seemed to loosen. He bit his inner lip and I recognized that look on his face. It was the look I saw when I was younger when he'd swallow his pride. He looked to me.

"You obviously have good judgement, as I know," he said and set his gun down against a column nearby. He crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow at Nick. "Your turn." Nick set his gun down, and everyone, including myself, set all of the rest of our supplies down on the ground.

"You guys can follow me and I'll show you where you can all sleep," the young woman with dirty blonde hair from earlier said. Zach looked to me, though, and nodded towards a couch by a fireplace. I followed him wile everyone else followed the young woman. Zach sat down on the couch and I sat next to him.

"Wow," he laughed and looked at me. "You look so much different."

"You too," I said, which was true. He looked more muscular, his hair was cut shorter from what I remember, and he looked a little older.

"You're not such a little girl anymore, huh?" He smiled and I shook my head, agreeing with him. "How old are you? Do you even know?"

"11," I answered and Zach nodded.

"11," he repeated. "Wow. I think I'm 22, close to 23..." His voice got lower and trailed off a little. He seemed to be looking off into space. He snapped out of it and looked back to me. "So, how'd you end up here?"

"It's kind of a long story..." I sighed. Zach smiled and leaned back a little on the couch.

"We got time," Zach said.

...

"I met a guy named Lee" (A)

"I had a few groups here and there" (B)

"I don't really wanna talk about it" (C)

-Stay silent- (D)


	3. Chapter 3

-Clementine's POV-

"I met a man named Lee when this all started who really looked after me," I said and Zach looked back towards the cabin group.

"Which one's Lee over there?" He asked, still looking over.

"No, he's..." I said and Zach looked back at me. "...he's dead."

"Oh..." Zach said slowly. "I'm sorry. How long did you know him?"

"A few months," I answered and sighed a little. "I met him literally the first day all this started and he became my guardian, in a way. He taught me how to shoot a gun and gave me the idea to keep my hair short and hard to grab."

"Wow," Zach said and pursed his lips. "Sounds like he was an amazing man." Zach looked back at the cabin group, who returned back downstairs and were talking to Walter and the woman near the kitchen. "How long have you been with this group?"

"No more than three days," I said and Zach raised his eyebrows.

"Seriously?" He asked and I nodded. He nodded back and tilted his head a little. "Sorry I wasn't home when all this started. I couldn't go anywhere for the first three months or so when all this started and was kept at Westpoint, along with all the other guys in training. When it finally collapsed in on itself, I left with a few friends, but we didn't head south to Savannah. I..." He paused and cleared his throat. "I didn't really wanna return. To be honest, I thought you guys were all dead already. You, mom and dad. I didn't think..." Zach paused again and then laughed a little. "To be honest, I didn't think an 11 year old kid would last this long."

"I had some pretty nice groups," I smiled, thinking of everyone from before.

"Are you guys catching up?" Someone said from behind me. I turned around and saw the dirty-blonde haired woman behind us.

"We are," Zach said, smiling at me. "Clem, this is Miranda, my girlfriend."

"It's so nice to meet you Clementine," she said politely and I smiled back at her. "Zach has talked a lot about you."

"Again, from what I remember," Zach pointed out and stood up. I stood up as well and looked to Zach. "You said you know how to shoot, right?"

"Yep," I answered.

"Wanna go out and hunt a little?"

"Zach, do you really think she wants to go walk around again? Let the girl rest a little."

"I do kinda want to relax," I said and Zach smiled a little and nodded.

"Ok, find me outside of you change your mind, though," Zach said and headed to the front doors. Miranda went over to Sarah and Carlos to set up a Christmas tree. I stood up myself and went over to the kitchen where the man who I now knew as Walter was making dinner. After talking with him briefly, I talked with Rebecca and Carlos and Sarah and even Miranda as well. Before I knew it, dinner was ready and I realized how hungry I was. The cabin group sat at one table, while Walter, Miranda, and Zach sat at another one. I of course sat with Zach to catch up a little more, but noticed Luke have a slightly somber expression when I sat with Zach. In front of me was a bowl of peaches and what looked like beans as well. Better than nothing, I suppose.

"So how long have you been with this group, Clementine?" Miranda asked me.

"A few days, not super long. I got separated from a member of my old group, Christa. That's when I met this group," I said and nodded back a little to the cabin group. Zach scoffed and ate a spoonful of food.

"They look like a cluster fuck," he muttered.

"Some people are after them," I pointed out and Zach's eyebrow raised.

"Then why did we let them all in? Now we're gonna be a target?" Zach asked, quickly finishing off his bowl.

"It's alright, Zach," Miranda said, trying to calm him down.

"You're right. They'll all leave tomorrow and you'll stay here and be fine," Zach said confidently. I didn't reply and just looked down, continuing to eat my food. I wanted to stay with Zach, but I didn't want to just leave the cabin group. "You are staying, right?"

"Don't pressure her, Zach," Miranda said. "If she wants to stay her, she will. But only if she wants."

"I can't just leave my group," I said slowly and Zach frowned, but played it off.

"Yeah..." He said. "Of course."

Miranda and Walter got up, carrying their empty bowls, while Zach and I still say at the table. Luke and Nick appeared, Luke sitting by Zach and Nick by me. It was a bit odd, but they really didn't introduce themselves to each other.

"Hey," Luke said.

"Hey," Zach said, seeming a little annoyed. "I'm Zach, in case you didn't know."

"Luke."

"Nick," Nick said from beside me.

"So what was your plan here?" Luke asked Zach. "Hold out for the winter?"

"Yeah, but also thinking of going to Wellington."

"Wellington?" Luke scoffed. "The hell's that?"

"Supposed to be a camp up north with lots of supplies and food."

"Hmph," Nick grunted. "Sounds like some bullshit."

"Did I ask what you thought?" Zach asked stiffly, his eyes narrowing dangerously at Nick.

"I don't care if you did or didn't," Nick replied back and Zach scrunched his eyebrows in confusion.

"What's the deal with these guys, Clem?" Zach snorted.

"Fuck you, bud," Nick snapped back.

"Stop fighting," I said loudly and firmly. Zach looked at me and then back at Nick, then back at me. He took a deep breath before Walter came over.

"Mind coming outside with me, Zach? I'm gonna check the lights outside," he suggested. Zach slowly got up.

"Yeah, go check the lights, soldier boy," Nick mumbled.

"Clem, care to join us?" Walter asked and I nodded, getting up as well.

The three of us walked outside of the ski lift and I followed the two around the corner of the building. We were all stunned to see a young woman with orange hair peeking through the window. Zach quickly raised his gun at her, even though she appeared unarmed. She saw us and was startled and put her hands up.

"I'm...I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to frighten y'all," she said, revealing her slight southern accent.

"Who are you?" Zach asked.

"Check her for weapons," I said, crossing my arms. Zach scoffed.

"Yeah," he agreed.

"I'm Bonnie and I was just wondering if I could have some food? Any spare food y'all have?" She begged, keeping her hands up. "My group...we haven't eaten in around three whole days and...I saw the lights and came all the way up here and-"

"Of course, let me go get you some," Walter said and quickly went back inside before Bonnie could protest. My brother, Bonnie, and I all stood in awkward silence before Bonnie bent down a little and looked at me.

"I have a little girl like you," she said and smiled a little. "How old are you, sweetie?"

"11," I answered, not wanting to be rude to the seemingly-friendly woman.

"I woulda thought older than that," she smiled, meaning it as a compliment. We stood for a few more seconds in silence before Walter returned with a huge box, filled with cans and boxes.

"This is too much!" Bonnie exclaimed.

"Really, it's nothing," Walter said, insisting she take it all.

"I don't know how I'll ever repay you," she said, sounding a little guilty.

"Just help someone out in the future," Walter said easily and Bonnie smiled again.

"Thank you so much," she said gratefully and quickly went down the slight hill and into the forest.

"Well we already attracted one person with the lights," Zach sighed. "We better shut them off for now."

"I think I'm going to turn in for the night, if that's ok," I said and Walter nodded.

"I'm going to head in too. You got the lights Zach?" Walter asked as I started heading to the front door. I entered the ski lodge and quickly went upstairs to a bed and fell right into it and under the comforter. I fell asleep almost right away, but figured I hadn't been asleep for more than fifteen minutes before I woke up to a loud scream of pain. I sat up, and while doing so, I could see over the railing of the second floor and into the lobby of the lodge, where a man was kneeling with another one hovering over him.

That's when I realized the one kneeling was Carlos and the one standing over him was probably Carver. Carver grabbed Carlos's hand and seemed to jerk it back, to which Carlos screamed. Three other people with large guns stood, one with orange hair. Bonnie. She was working for Carver.

"Don't hurt my dad!" I heard Sarah scream and noticed her, along with Miranda, Nick, and Walter, all with their hands tied behind their backs. I looked down the hall along the railing and saw Alvin and Rebecca crouching out of sight. I scurried towards them, keeping my head down.

"Where's Luke and the girl?!" I heard Carver shout. I assumed the 'girl' was me. "And Rebecca?!"

"What is going on?!" I whispered harshly. "Where's Luke and Zach?"

"Carver found us and I have no fucking clue where they are. But the three of us need to get down there now before Carver kills Carlos!" Alvin exclaimed quietly.

"Clem, you should go look for Luke and Zach! They can help," Rebecca argued.

"Carver knows she's with us, Bec!" Alvin shot back. "Anyway, what's she gonna do? He'll just catch her."

"Clem, you need to do something!" Rebecca whispered, ignoring Alvin.

...…

-Turn yourselves in- (A)

-Look for Luke and Zach- (B)


	4. Chapter 4

-Clementine's POV-

"I'm going to find Zach and Luke, stay here," I decided.

"Godammit," Alvin muttered. We crept over to a window and he opened it for me. I slipped through and landed carefully on the soft layer of snow below me. I looked around, searching for Zach or even Luke. I breathed a sigh of relief when I looked to the right and saw Zach peeking over a wooden stand. He waved me over and I ran as fast as I could over to him and went behind the stand with him. He ducked down once I got over, completely going below the stand so not even his head was visible to anyone on the other side of the stand. He clutched his rifle close to him and looked over to me.

"What the fuck is going on?" He hissed. "Who are all those people?"

"They're the people that are after my group. Where's Luke?" I asked, concerned over him too.

"I don't know," Zach said, and peeked back over the stand, looking through the large window of the lodge that was facing us. "Him and I went to go shut off the wind turbine when we heard gunshots. He ran off, to the other side of the lodge and I came over here, hiding since then." He ducked back down and sighed, then looked to me. "We gotta go in there, you know."

"Ok..." I said. "Which way should we sneak in through?"

"No," he shook his head. "I mean, turn ourselves in."

"What?" I asked, surprised. "No, you can-"

"I'm not supposed to do anything. They have hostages in there and you and I don't have any backup. We have no leverage and no way to communicate with the hostage-takers, and..." He stopped himself and looked over to me with a wry smirk. "Sorry. Westpoint talking. But anyway, in these situations, surrendering is the best for everyone. That's the way to avoid casualties."

"Are you sure?" I asked, still very unsure. "Maybe we could-"

"Clem," he interrupted. "I've trained for stuff like this for months and learned from experts what to do. Cmon. You can trust me, ok?" I looked to him, hesitated, and finally nodded.

"Ok," I sighed. He nodded back.

"Got any weapons on you?" He asked and I shook my head. "Ok, keep your hands up though, when we walk in. Ready?"

I nodded and we stood up and walked to the front door. I kept my hands up and my palms facing in front of me, while Zach held the neck of his rifle with one arm and kept his other hand up. Bonnie, the woman that Walter gave food to, opened the front door and aimed her gun at us. I looked to Zach with shock and he didn't even look at me, but kept his eyes on Bonnie.

"It's you," he said between gritted teeth. Her eyes shifted down in a guilty manner, but they quickly shot back up and she spoke.

"Get in here," she said firmly. I walked in first and then Zach. Bonnie grabbed my wrists and ziptied them together, while a man in camo with long and messy hair did the same to Zach after taking his rifle from him. They sat both of us down with everyone else and I saw Alvin ziptied, with Rebecca standing with us.

"Where's Luke?" Carver asked angrily, and no one said anything. Carver paced back and forth in front of all of us and I looked over and saw Zach, who was by Miranda and Walter. "Finally cut and run, huh?" Carver walked up to Carlos, who was right next to me. "I warned you. I warned you not to follow him. And look where's he's led you," Carver then went over to Rebecca. "but you're safe now. We're all going home. As a family." Rebecca kept an angry face while everyone else was either sad or neutral, like Zach. I wasn't surprised, since he was probably taught to control his emotions. One by one, Carver and his three accomplices stood us up by roughly pulling our arms up and forward, and herded us to a truck like a flock of sheep.


End file.
